Photos show migrants intercepted near Crete arrive at the Greek port of Lavrio from Libya
Photos show migrants intercepted near Crete arrive at the Greek port of Lavrio from Libya
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Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
Migrants arrested after ‘stealing from luxury West End stores'
Two migrants have been arrested at an asylum hotel in connection with alleged organised shoplifting at luxury stores in the West End of London. The men were arrested at a Holiday Inn in Wembley, north-west London, on suspicion of theft on Thursday morning, the Metropolitan Police said. The arrests came after a security firm notified the media that organised gangs were stealing thousands of pounds of designer clothing from luxury stores. The firm had become exasperated with the lack of a police response. The gang struck at stores including Liberty, Polo Ralph Lauren and John Lewis in the heart of London's West End. A Met Police spokesman said: 'The men, aged 36 and 31, were arrested at a hotel in Wembley on the morning of Thursday Aug 14, on suspicion of theft. They remain in custody. Our investigation is ongoing.' Migrants were allegedly seen leaving the Holiday Inn with bags lined with tin foil, which stop security alarms going off when tagged items are taken out of a store. 'Area is verging on lawless' A source who works in private security told The Sun, which first reported on the alleged thefts, that when detained, the migrants showed ID cards and admitted they were asylum seekers, knowing that little could be done. The whistleblower said: 'The situation is getting out of control. We are helpless and cannot tackle the sheer numbers flooding the streets. I honestly think the area is verging on lawless. The police only turn up for two out of every 10 men we detain.' The Holiday Inn in Wembley is home to 700 immigrants and is one of more than 200 asylum hotels around Britain. At least 312 asylum seekers have been charged with 708 alleged criminal offences in just three years – including rape, sexual assault, attacking emergency workers and theft. The alleged offences committed by asylum seekers who gave immigration hotels as their addresses in court include 18 charges of rape, five of attempted rape, 35 of sexual assault and 51 of theft. The data also shows there have been 89 charges of assault – 27 of which allegedly targeted police officers or other emergency workers – 43 of drug offences, 18 of burglary and 16 of robbery. At one recent hearing involving a migrant accused of theft, attended by The Telegraph, the court was told: 'He has been here for three years and he lives in one of the hotels provided by immigration. He started committing criminal offences as soon as he got here.'
Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
Villagers plead for curfew after ‘rowdy' migrants take over parks at night
Villagers have pleaded for a curfew to stop 'rowdy' migrants taking over the parks at night. Fed-up locals have complained that the Northamptonshire village of Crick has been turned into a 'no-go zone' since a migrant hotel opened last November. The village, which has a population of less than 2,000, features thatched houses, a marina and its own cricket club. But residents claim to be too scared to let their children out after dark because of late-night football matches and men roaming the streets. A protest took place outside the 111-room Ibis hotel on Friday evening. One villager, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was 'quite intimidating' to be walking your dog and come across 'packs of men'. The local voiced anger that many had come to this country illegally 'but are treated as guests'. They added: 'We have a really big problem in Crick. It feels like the whole place is overrun with them. 'They go to the park in the afternoon and play football, sometimes late at night and are always in large groups. They are rowdy and people living nearby can't sleep. 'They've been told to stop doing that as it's a park for children, not adults, but they just carried on. 'We heard one boy got his football stolen on there.' Community leaders are now demanding that Serco, which is responsible for housing asylum seekers, take a tougher stance on migrants staying at the hotel. In a statement, Crick Parish Council said: 'The parish council is aware of and is extremely concerned about recent incidents involving the Ibis hotel at Crick. 'Regarding the use of the playing field, the parish council has contacted Serco directly. 'Serco have told us that they cannot impose a curfew, and the residents are not prevented from leaving the hotel. 'Serco have said that they will speak to the hotel residents about using the playing field at night and making a noise. 'It is worth reiterating that the decision to house immigrants at the Ibis was a central Government decision and was not supported by West Northamptonshire Council or Crick Parish Council, both of whom strongly object.' The council also urged residents to contact police if they witness any criminal activity. A father-of-two who lives in the village said he was 'worried' about letting his teenage daughters go out after dark. He said: 'I can understand these people are bored and are waiting to be processed but they're making our lives a misery. 'If I could move my family to another town I would do but I don't think anyone would want to move in next to a migrant hotel.' Another villager said: 'I see them knocking around regularly. 'They get on the bus and don't bother paying the fare, which causes all sorts of problems. 'The Government has a lot to answer for – it's turning our village into a hellhole.' Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Daventry, the constituency covering Crick, said the safety of residents was his 'highest priority'. He added: 'I have been consistently raising concerns with the Home Office about the situation in Crick.' Lib Dem Cllr Rosie Humphreys, who represents the Crick ward, previously said: 'I am in complete agreement with Crick Parish Council's position that the Ibis is totally unsuitable for use as a contingency hotel.' 'Even if the government has inherited an asylum system that is all but broken, with thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed, this is no reason to make a bad decision again by reopening the Ibis for asylum seekers.' A Serco spokesman said: 'Serco is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers on behalf of the Government. However, under Home Office rules, asylum seekers are free to come and go from their accommodation as they wish. This is not a detention centre and we do not run a security operation. 'All asylum seekers are given an induction into what is expected of anyone living in the UK and in common with everyone else living in this country, they are expected to obey the laws of the land. 'Any anti-social behaviour or illegal activities should be reported to the police who will handle the issue.' Accor, which owns Ibis, said: 'This hotel is an independently owned and operated property. Its alternative use follows an agreement between the owner of the property and the Home Office.'
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Reuters
Wildfires kill three across southern Europe, force thousands to evacuate
PATRAS, Greece/MADRID, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Hundreds of firefighters battled to put out wildfires across southern Europe on Thursday, some of which are believed to have been set deliberately by arsonists and stoked by an extended heat wave gripping the region. The European Union sent reinforcements to help Greece and Spain tackle blazes which have killed three firefighters, damaged homes and buildings and razed swathes of farm and forest land, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people. Hot and dry summers have been common in the Mediterranean region. But wildfires fanned by intense heat and winds, the result of a fast-changing climate, scientists say, have become more destructive and tougher to control. From Portugal to Spain, Albania and Greece, firefighters struggled to contain towering walls of flames threatening life and property. The Iberian Peninsula alone made up about half of the EU's burned area of some 500,000 hectares (1,931 square miles) so far this year, according to estimates by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). In Greece, more than 200 firefighters assisted by 11 aircraft battled to extinguish a blaze near the port city of Patras in the western Peloponnese. Elevated temperatures stoked tinderbox conditions. "In such circumstances just a spark is enough to start a fire which can quickly spin out of control," said Greece's Civil Protection and Climate Change Minister Giannis Kefalogiannis. Three people suspected of deliberately igniting wildfires near Patras were arrested and expected to appear before a public prosecutor on Thursday, a senior police official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Greece has made available a record number of some 18,000 firefighters this year. In Spain, three people, including volunteer firefighters, died amid Local media identified the latest victim as 37-year-old Jaime Aparicio, who suffered burns to 85% of his body after being trapped alongside another volunteer firefighter as they attempted to create firebreaks with brush cutters. On Thursday, 11 large fires threatened built-up areas, forcing authorities to evacuate over 9,000 residents, and to cut off roads and suspend rail services. In Portugal, nearly 1,000 firefighters battled a blaze near the scenic mountain village of Piodao. Crews managed to bring under control a wildfire burning for 11 days - the longest for this season - in the mountainous area of Vila Real in the north. In Albania, soldiers, firefighters, and volunteers, supported by helicopters and an Italian Canadair fire jet, battled to contain separate fronts in the Sopot area between Delvina and Gjirokastra on Thursday after blazes raging for days damaged dozens of homes and charred agricultural land. Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Thursday 137 arsonists have been identified since June, and several were being arrested. Clirim Conku, a 61-year-old farmer in southern Albania, lost vineyards, olive groves and all his livestock in a wildfire but was relieved he and his faithful dog survived. "I was using everything to keep the flames out. For example to fight the smoke this napkin has saved my life. I put some water on it but it stayed wet more with sweat," he said. Others were bitter that a lifetime of work was gone in minutes. Restaurant owner Dimitris Daskas, 57, whose business was close to Patras, broke his arm while trying to save his property and was left without water or power as the flames approached. "My wife was calling (emergency services) to say we are on fire; they didn't even pick up," he told Reuters.
